Bell boot for horses



Sept 27 19497 E. s. SCHWARTZ ETAL 2,483,065

BELL BOOT FOR HORSES Filed March 5, 1948 JNVENTORS @www0 s. sewwaefz,

ue/VEYS.

Patented Sept. 27, 1949 BELL BOOT FOR HORSES Edward S. Schwartz andLerton V. Dawson,

` Excelsior Springs, Mo.

Application March 5, 1948, Serial No. 13,164

4 Claims.

Our invention relates to bell boots for horses, and :more particularlyto such boots as are known as half-boots and three-quarter boots. Suchboots are well known and comprise a top leather section or bell, aleather bottom section or quarter, a flexible leather strap hingedlyconnecting the bell and quarter together at the rear of the horses hoof,and a lug or frog carried by the Vquarter and seatable in the fourchetteof the horses hoof to maintain the boot properly positioned relative tothe hoof.

It is an object of our invention to provide an improved bell boot forhorses.

A further object is to provide an improved bell boot for horses whichincludes novel means for connecting the bell and quarter together.

A further object is to provide an improved bell boot such as that lastdescribed which connecting means includes a lower end formed to providea fourchette-engaging frog.

A further object is to provide an improved bell boot such as that lastdescribed wherein said connecting means comprises a single strip offlexible plastic.

A further object is to provide an improved bell boot which includesnovel means for weighting the boot.

Other objects and advantages reside in the particular structure of theinvention and of the several parts thereof together with the novelcombinations and sub-combinations as will be readily apparent to thoseskilled in the art upon reference to the attached drawing in connectionwith the following specification, wherein the invention is shown,described and claimed.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a longitudinal vertical section through a preferred form ofthe invention, showing the same applied to a horses hoof, the hoof beingshown in broken lines;

Figure 2 is a rear view thereof;

Figure 3 is a bottom plan View thereof;

Figure 4 is a substantially horizontal section taken substantially onthe plane of the line 4-4 of Figure 1;

Figure 5 is an elevation of a detail of a modified form of the inventionapart from the rest of the structure;

Figure 6 is a longitudinal vertical section taken substantially on theplane of the line 6-6 of Figure 5, but showing the detail connected totheA supporting structure,

Referring specifically to the drawing, wherein like reference charactershave been used throughout the several views to designate like ystitchinghas been deliberately avoided parts, and referring more specifically toFigures l, 2 and 3, Il designates a horses hoof having a shoe II appliedthereto. The hoof includes the usual bulbs, the bulbs I2 located belowthe pastern which in turn is immediately below the fetlock I4 and ankleI5. Intermediate the bulbs I2 at the back of the hoof there is provideda groove It which runs into the frog or fourchette of the hoof. Thedevice according to our invention' comprises a lower ,section or quartergenerally designated by Il, and an upper section or bell, generallydesignated by I8. The upper section or bell I8 comprises an `outer domedshell I9 of any suitable material, such as heavy leather, which isprovided with a lining 2l) of relatively soft material, such as softleather. The upper edge of the lining is doubled, as at 2|, and overliesthe upper free edge of the bell to protect the horses ankle fromchaflng. 'Ihe shell I9 terminates on opposite sides of the forwardportions of the horses ankle, and the free ends are connected togetherby any suitable strap 22 which extends around the leg above the coronetor hairline of the hoof. Any suitable buckle may be utilized to connectthe strap 22 to the shell I9. y

, 'The lower edge of the lining 2t is connected to the shell I9 by aline of stitching 2li, which, at the rear central portion thereof, isupwardly and downwardly directed, as at 23, to provide a substantiallyinverted V-shaped line of stitching. At this point, the invertedVashaped line of stitching 23 extends through the upper end of aflexible strap or strip 25 which serves as a hinge for connecting thebell I3 to the quarter I'I. The hinge line of the strap 25 comprises.the extension of the line of stitching 24 across the legs of theV-shaped section 23. However, along the hinge line for the reason that acontinued flexingof the material at this point tends to break away thematerial intermediate the holes provided for the stitching, whereby tocause rapid deterioration of the hinge and failure of the boot as awhole. By providing the fastening for the upper end of the strap 25 withlines of stitching which intersect the hinge line at like angles, theflexing of the material is in angular relation to the stitchingcomprising the connection7 whereby such stitching is not iieXed in. use.Thus, there is no cracking of the material along the inverted V-shapedline of stitching 23 in use, whereby the hinge has relatively greaterlongevity in use. Obviously, the line yof stitching 23 could be of otherforms than inverted VV-shape,

is virtually unnoticeable.

hoof.

but we have found that this is very convenient in use '1n that itpermits the combined line of stitching 23 and 2d to be a singlecontinuous line, whereby the combined line of stitching may be appliedin a single operation.

The quarter I1 is best seen in Figure 4, and comprises a substantiallyLil-shaped strap-like element or section which is adapted to overlie thelower rear portions of the hoof and extend forwardly along the sides orquarters thereof. The quarter comprises a plurality of plies ofmaterial, such as the outer ply 26, and the inner ply 28, which arecoextensive. Between'such plies we have provided an intermediate ply 21which is formed of suitable weight-providing material, such as softlead. The ply 21 of lead or the 'like is not as long as the other plies,as is-clearl-yseen in Figure 4. In obtaining the correct action in ahorse using a boot such as this, we have found that it is necessaryfrequently to weight one hoof ,I

of the horse more than another. Consequently, the weight plies 21 maybeof varying thicknesses and consequently varying weights to achieve thebest results. By providing a built-in weight of this type, the's'a'mefis.unnoticeable and the weight is evenly distributed around the sides andrear portion of the horses hoof, and at the same time The weight ply 21is secured in place by the stitchings securing the outer and liner plies26 and 28, respectively, to-

gether. The lower end of the hinge-providing strap extends downwardlyacross the face of the liner ply 28 and 'has attached thereto or formedthereon a frog 23 which is shaped to fit into the groove i6 orfourchette of the horses This structure is covered by a frog cover Bwhich comprises a strip of suitable exible material such as leather. Allof Vthe elements just recited, including the plies 26%, 21 and 28,together with the lower end of the strap '25, the frog 29 and frog cover33, are secured together by lines of stitching 3l and 32, Figure 1. Oneend of the quarter l1 has secured thereto in any suitable manner, as bystitching, a loop 33 of leather or 'the like. The loop 33vis securedabout the straight side of a D-ring 34. The opposite end of the quarterl1 has stitched thereto one end 35 of a leather strap for securing thetwo ends of the quarter together. A keeper 36 is secured tothe quarterI1 forwardly of Vthe end 35 of the strap and inwardly of the adjacentfree end of the quarter. Forwardly of the keeper 315, the outer ply 2Bof the quarter is provided with transverse spaced slots 31 through whichthe strap 38 is extended. The strap 3S is extended through'the w D-ring34 and back through a buckle 39 which is loose on the strap 33, butconned from longitudinal movement thereon by the adjacent slot 31 andkeeper 36 between which the buckle is positioned, Figure 4. The tag end40 of the strap 38 is provided with the usual belt tongue-receivingholes 4| for securing Vthe belt in an adjusted relation. By locating thebuckle 43 loosely on the strap 38, we have found that the strap can be'tightened over and over again without placing any undue strain on thestitching securing the end ofthe strap to the quarter i1.

By providing the lower end of the hinge-providing strap 25 with the frog29, we have found that the frog may be tailored to t the groove I6 ofany horses hoof without materially modifying the rest of the boot. Thefrog cover 30 provides a smooth anti-Charing surface for the hoof andadapts itself to frogs of different sizes and conformation.

In Figures 5 and 6, we have illustrated a modied form of hinge-providingstrap, and also a modified bell. In this form of the invention, the bell50, Figure 6, is formed of flexible plastic material, such as Vinylite,or other suitable plastic, which has the required flexibility. In likemanner, the hinge-providing strap or strip 5I is likewise formed of aflexible plastic, such as Vinylite, andthe lower end thereof Lis formedto provide an integral frog 52 which is molded thereon in themanufacture thereof. As in the first-described form of invention, thebell 50 and strap 5l are secured together by a line of stitching 53which intersects the hinge line at an angle thereto. We Yhave found thatthe use of a exible plastic, vsuch as Vinylite, eliminates the rottingof the parts 'and renders the boot extremely longlasting in use. Theparts are assembled in the same Ymanner shown in Figure l and Figure 4,with the quarter l1. Obviously, by forming the hinge-providing strap 5lof plastic, 'it is an easy -matterto mold the frog 52 thereof in anydesired shape to'tanyparticular hoof.

While we have `shown 'and described what is now thought to beth'epreferred embodiments of the invention, it is to be understood thatthe same is susceptible o'f fother forms and expressions. Consequently,'we "do not limit ourselves to the precise structureshown and describedhereinabove, except -a's hereinafter Vclaimed.

We claim:

l. -A bell lboot for horses, comprising a bell, a quarter, meanshin'gedly connecting said quarter and bell togetherfsaid in'eanscomprising a flexible strap having upp'er and lo'wer ends, Ymeansconnecting 'said l'ower end of said strap to said quartenand a'ninverted VY-sh'aped line of stitch- 'ing connecting s'a'i'd upper vendl'of said strap to said bell.

'intersecting 'said liing'e line at like angles.

3. A bell boot -for horses, comprising a bell, a

`quarter, means lhinge'dly connectings'aid quarter and bell together,said means comprising a flexible straphaving upper and -Vlower ends,said quarter comprising a :plurality of plies of sheet matebetweenadjacent plies of said material, and said 'lower Vend 'of said strapbeing formed to provide afourchette-engagingfrog, oneof said pliescomprising a sheet of fsoft "metal 'providing a weight for said quarter,and :lines of stitching connecting said plies and said lower 'end ofsaid strap together.

4. A bell boot "for horses, comprising a bell, a quarter, means hingedlyconnecting said quarter and bell together, said means comprising aflexible strap having upper and lower ends, said quarter comprising a'plurality of plies of sheet material, said lower end of said strapbeing in- 'terposedbetween adjacent plies of said "material, and saidYlower "end of said strap being formed to provide a fo'urcnette-engaging`:'frog, one of said plies comprising a sheet of soft metalproviding aweight for "said quarter, lines of stitching connecting said 'plies andsaid `lower end of Vsaid strap together, 'andaninve'rted V-'s'haped lineof stitch- 5 ing connecting said upper end of said strap to said bell.

EDWARD S. SCHWARTZ. LERTON V. DAWSON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le ofthis patent:

Number Morgan Aug. 14, 1894

